Master control system



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July 18, 1933.

ATTORNEYS Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH M.BARRETT, OF CLEVELAN'D HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO BAILEY COMPANY, OFCLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE MASTER CONTROL SYSTEM:

Application filed October 17, 1928. Serial 1T0. 318,058.

This invention relates to master control systems such as are used forcontrolling fluid pressure in containers, and more particularly tocontrolling systems where some suitable device for varying or regulatingthe pressure of the container is operated or controlled by relay valvemechanism sensitive to or affected by the pressure to be controlled.

The object of the invention is to provide improved relay valve mechanismwhich is of simple form and can be made at low cost; in which adjustmentor replacement of the valve parts and seat members is convenient and mayreadily be accomplished without entirely disassembling the valvemechanism; in which the valve is capable of very minute adjustment sothat its amplifying or magnifying ability may be increased to a maximum,making it extremely sensitive; in which an improved arrangement ofsprings is employe for opposing the controlling pressure; in which thepressure bar or head actuated on the one hand by the movable abutmentand on the other hand by the pressure of said springs isself-accommodating to its operating parts and is so arranged as toactuate the valve stem without lateral strains upon it; in which thevalve stem and its operating head are readily separable for conven-ience in removal, replacements or adjustments; and which valvemechanism is provided with safety means capable of automatieallycontrolling the mechanism in case of excessive or unusual rise inpressure to a dangerous extent, all as is more fully describedhereinafter.

Other objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part willappear more in de tail hereinafter.

In the drawing Fig. 1 represents an elevation, partly in section, on theline 11, Fig. 2, of one embodiment of relay valve mechanism constructedaccording to the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, and alsoshowing the emergency or safety control means broken out and in sectionto expose interior parts; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional plan view on theline 3-3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an elevation, somewhat diagrammatic, showinga complete system employing the invention; and 5 is a detail view ofpart of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, and illustrating a modification.

The invention is capable of many different uses and of application forvarious purposes.

As in the atent to J. M. Smith, No. 1,561,365, granted ovember 10, 1925,for Pressure regulator, it may be used as a relay subject to boilerpressure for controlling any one of the various instrumentalities ordevices which are capable of adjustment or regulation to vary theireffects u on boiler pressure, such as automatic striker mechanism, theengine for which may be speeded up or slowed down to vary the rate offeed of fuel to the fire, blower mechanism for producing forced draft,which likewise may-have the speed of its driving engine varied toincrease or diminish the draft, or damper mechanism in the smoke pipe orthe inlet pipe for the forced draft, which can limit in varying amountsthe flow of air through the furnace. Likewise, it may be used in otherplaces, where the pressure of a fluid, either liquid or gas, in acontainer, may be varied by any instrumentality, and the latter isthereby controlled by this relay valve mechanism subject to the pressureof the container to be controlled.

The container may he of any character, such as a boiler of any form, asin the said Smith patent, or a tank or drum, such as a receiver forcondensate or. in other words, a drainage collector .for the liquid ofcondensation in steam systems and the like, or may be a conduit or pipecontaining or conducting steam or other fluid. The drawing, forsimplicity of illustration. shows this latter arrangementa-nd thecontrol system is arranged to control the pressure delivered by aconduit through a reducing valve.

Referring to Fig. 4, 1 indicates a conduit for supplying fluid underpressure, such as steam, to a reducing valve 2 from which it isdelivered to the low pressure conduit 3, which in this instance may besaid to be the container, the pressure in which is to be controlled. Thereducing valve 2 may be of any suitable form and is conventionallyillustrated as a balanced valve with its stem 4 actuated by thedifferential opposing effects of the usual compression spring 5 and amovable abutment 6, shown as a piston, actuated by fluid pressure, aswill appear. Increase in said pressure tends to move the valve towardclosed position.

The relay valve mechanism, shown in detail in Figs. 1 and 2, includes anintermediate chamber 7 communicating by a pipe 8 with the reducing valveoperating cylinder 9,

and supplies the pressure to actuate its movable abutment 6. Theposition of the reducing valve 2 therefore depends upon the pressure insaid intermediate chamber.

Said chamber is located within a valve body member 10 between upper andlower valve seat members 11, 12, having tapered seats cooperating withtapered upper and lower valve portions on a valve member 13 carried by astem 14 passing out through a packing 15. On opposite sides of member 13the stem is provided with fluid supply passages 16 which at their innerends may have reduced graduating portions 17. As the valve member risesin Fig. 1 it seats on seat 11 and when it lowers it seats upon seat 12.

Below the lower seat the steam enters an exhaust cavity or chamber 18open to atmosphere or to a low pressure line or container by a passage19, as will later appear. Above the upper seat the valve stem passesthrough a pressure supply cavity, or chamber 20 communicatingby a pipe21 with a suitable source of motive pressure. This motive pressure maycome from any source, such as a-separate or distinct source of airpressure, water pressure, or any fluid pressure. For convenience themotive pressure employed may come from the system which includes thecontainer whose pressure is to be controlled, and in the arrangementshown in Fig. 4 the pipe 21 communicates by way of hand valve 22 withthe high pressure ,main 1 supplying pressure tothe reducing valve 2. Itmay be connected to the low pressure side of the valve 2, if the 7pressure in line 3 is high enough for motive purposes.

Valve stem 14 is provided with a head 23 subject in one direction to thepressure of two springs 24 eflective upon a cross-bar 25, and in theopposite'direction to the pressure of a movable abutment, such as adiaphragm- 26 sensitive to or actuated by the pressure in a. chamber 27communicating by a pipe 28 with the container whose pressure is to becontrolled, which in the instance shown is the low pressure conduit 3.

It is obvious that if valve 13'is in its extreme lower position againstthe lower seat 12 communication with the exhaust passage 19 is out 0Eand full pressure from the motive pressure line 21 flows to and iseffective in the intermediate chamber 7. Consequently, the piston 6 ismoved over against its spring 5 to fully close the valve 2 or at leastto move it toward its closed position to the maximum amount. On theother hand, if valve 13 is in its extreme upper position against theupper seat 11 the supply of motive pressure to the intermediate chamber7 is "fully cut off and said chamber is fully open to exhaust.Therefore, the pressure of the intermediate chamber is zero and. thepiston 6 is moved over to the left in Fig. 4, moving the valve 2 to itsmaximum open position. In thevarious intermediate positions of the valve13 the pressure in the chamber 7 will vary from zero to the maximum, theparticular pressure at any valve position being a function of therelation between the areas of the valve openings from chamber 7 tothevupper and lower chambers 20, 18. This extreme range of pres-. surefrom zero to the maximum is obtained by a full movement of the valve 13obtained by similar movement of the abutment 26. The movement ofabutment 26 in turn is dependent upon the adjustment of springs 24,which may be adjusted by the .nuts 29 to load the abutment against thepressure in chamber 27, so that any desired variation of pressure in thecontainer 3 may produce complete travel of valve 13. In other words, thesprings 24 may be adjusted so that five, ten, twenty, or one hundredpounds, or any value of pressure variation in container 3, will producecomplete travel of valve 13 from its upper to its lower seat, and viceversa. Consequently the mechanism supplies a relay valve mechanism whichaccording to its adjustment more or less amplifies pressure variationsin the container 3 into maximum variations in chamber 7 between zero andthe total pressure of the motive supply, with the obvious advantage ofalways supplying suflicient pressure to produce positive actuation ofthe valve 2 or any other device controlled by this system.

Means is provided for conveniently adjusting the valve mechanism andparticularly for adjusting the upper and lower seat members relativelyto each other, because, obviously, the distance between the valve seatsis equal to the amount of movement of valve 13 and the less saiddistance the more sensitive does the relay valve mechanism become. Forthis purpose and also to enable the seats to be readily replaced, thelower seat 12 is a separate part threaded into a cylindrical head 30 ona stem 31 slidable longitudinally through a packing 32. Said stem hasits exposed end threaded to receive the check and adjusting nuts 33, 34located above and below a cross bar 35 secured bythe nuts 36 to the samethreaded rods 37 which support the main body 10 and its securing andadjusting nuts 10a and upon which the spring adjusting nuts 29 aremounted. Said rods at their upper ends have smooth or unthreadedportions forming guides for spring pilots 38 on the cross bar 25 and arethreaded into bosses upon a ring 39 serving to clamp the diaphragm 26against its casing head 40. This arrangement of the parallel rods andcross heads is a very convenient feature, enabling the entire valvemechanism to be readily constructed and assembled at low cost. Byadjusting the nuts 33 and 34 the hollow stem 31 may he slid up or downto'adjust the low- The upper valve seat 11 is likewise a separate partthreaded into a plug 41 carrying the packing 15 and threaded home to aseat in an opening in the body 10.

Relative adjustment between the two seats obviously may be accomplishedby means external to the valve chambers and without disassembling ordisturbing any of the valve mechanism. The adjustment takes place at therelay valve mechanism and by attaching suitable gauges A, B, to thecontainer line 28 and intermediate chamber line 8 at some place adjacentto the relay valve mechanism, as shown in Fig. 4, the effects of theadjustment upon the system may be readily observed, even though valve 2and container 3 are located a considerable distance away, or in someinaccessible place.

The use of two springs 24 is desirable not only for convenience in theirmounting and assembly, but also said springs may be shorter and smallerthan when a single spring is used; and the springs are taken away fromtheir usual position around the valve stem, so that the latter may bereadily manipulated or even taken out for replacement or repair.

The valve stem head 23 has its upper surface convex or spherical, as at42, while its lower end is also curved spherically or approximately soat 43, where it rests upon the cross-bar 25. This enables said head tomore or less accommodate itself to adjustments of the parts so thatmotive force applied to the valve stem is in the direction of its axisand not askew. Moreover, the valve stem 14 is provided with a convenientdetachable c0nnection to the head 23. As shown, it has its upper endconvexly curved at 44 to fit a correspondingly curved seat in the lowerend of the head, and is provided with an annular groove 45 to receive ahorseshoe washer or collar 46, pushed in from one side, as shown in Fig3, said washer forming an abutment for the union nut 46a. To disconnectthe parts the union nut is backed oil and the washer 46 is slipped outatone side, whereupon the plug 41 may be backed out and the valve stemand other parts removed.

The hand valve 22 may be placed at any suit-able or convenient locationin the motive fluid line 21. By closin it the supply of motive pressureis cut 0 and the pressure in the intermediate chamber and pipe 8 dropsto zero, so that the spring 5 moves the valve 2 fully over to openposition. This hand valve is useful where for any purpose a full supplyof pressure to the line 3 is desirable and the controlling effect of therelay valve mechanism is unnecessary or undesirable.

The upper half oi the valve 13 and the corresponding upper valve seatare sometimes unnecessary and may be omitted. In Fig. 5 the intermediatechamber 7 communicates directly with the motive fluid supply pipe 21.,but the line of communication from the mothe valve 2. As the valve 13rises the outlet to exhaust is more or less opened, which reduces thepressure in the supply line to the chamber 9. If the exhaust opening islarger than the restricted port 48, it is obvious that the pressure inthe chamber 9 may reduce to zero, permitting the spring 5 to move thevalve 2 over to open position. Emergency control means may also beprovided. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, the exhaust passage 19communicates by way of an upwardly seating valve 50 with a chamber 51open to exhaust through a pipe 52 which may be supplied with a handvalve 53, Fig. 4. The valve 50 is opened by a spring 54 and is seated bythe effect of a movable abutment 55 subject to the pressure in a chamber56 which may communicate by a pipe 57 with the container 3, such as byway of the pipe 28 in Fig. 4. Closing of the exhaust passage 19 in anymanner permits the pressure in the chamber 7 either in Fig. 1 or in Fig.5, to build up to a maximum and move the valve 2 over to its extremeclosed position. This outlet passage of course maybe closed by the handvalve 53. which has the effect of manually reducing the pressure in thecontainer 3 to the minimum. However, the automatic control of valve 50by the movable abutment 55 subjects the exhaust passage automatically tothe effect-of variations in pressure in the container. Therefore, if therelay valve mechanism, including valve member 13 and its related parts,refuses to work for any reason, such as because of an obstruction orsticking of the parts, and therefore fails to reduce the pressure in thecontainer upon an abnormal rise, then the'emergency valve mechanismpromptly closes the valve 50 and compels movement of the reducing valve2 toward closed-position. Other arrangements are also suitable for thepurpose.

What I claim is: 1. Valve mechanism of the class described, comprising avalve body having a chamber adapted for connection to a device forcontrolling a factor which tends to vary, a duplex valve member in saidchamber controlled in accordance with variations in said factor, twoopposed valve seats therefor, means for supplying fluid pressure to saidchamber, said valve member by its relation to said seats controlling thefluid pressure in said chamber, and means for adjusting each of saidvalve seats with relation to the valve member, for the purposedescribed.

2. Valve mechanism of the character described in claim 1, in which theadjusting means for each valve seat extends and is operatable externallyof the valve without disturbin g the fluid pressure connections thereto.

3. Valve mechanism of the class described, comprising a valve bodyprovided with a chamber, a duplex valve member operatable in saidchamber, opposed valve seat members cooperating with said valve member,and a supporting device for each valve seat member mounted for movementin the valve body and having an operating member external thereto. I

4. .Valve mechanism of the class described, comprising a valve bodyprovided with a chamber, a duplex valve member operatable in saidchamber, opposed valve seat members cooperating with said valve member,and a supporting device for each valve seat member mounted for movementin the valve body and having an operating member external thereto, saidvalve member having an operating stem extending through one of saidsupporting devices.

5. Valve mechan sm of the class described, comprising parallelsupporting rods, a valve body attached to and connecting said rods, avalve in said body having a stem parallel to said rods and lying betweenthem, and a fluid pressure actuator for said valve connecting said rodsand having a movable abutment opposite the end of the valve stem foractuation thereof.

6. Valve mechanism of the character described in claim 5, including across bar extending from rod to rod and engaging the valve stem, andsprings, one coiled around each rod, for actuating said cross bar tooppose the efl'ect of the fluid pressure actuator.

7. Valve mechanism of the character described in claim 5 in which thevalve body is provided with an internal seat for said valve, andincludes means adjustable along said rods for varying the relation ofsaid valve and its seat.

8. Valve mechanism of the character described in claim 5, in which thevalve stem is provided with a detachable head having a convex surfaceengaged by the fluid pressure actuator.

9. Valve mechanism of the character described in claim 5, in which thevalve stem includes a separate head, a horseshoe washer forming ashoulder, and a union nut engaging said shoulder and threaded to thehead for securing the latter to the stem.

10. Valve mechanism of the character described in claim 5, in which thevalve stem includes a separate head abutting the stem! by a curvedsurface, said head having a curved surface abutting the actuator, and across bar connecting said rods and having a curved surface engaging saidhead, the pressure springs engaging said cross bar, whereby said head isself-accommodating to the forces effective upon it. I

11. Valve mechanism of the class described,

comprising a valve body having a control chamber adapted for connectionto a pressure controlling passage, a valve member in said chamber whosemovement is controlled by variations in pressure, means for supplyingfluid pressure to said chamber, an exhaust passage for said chambercontrolled by said valve, and means independent of said valve forclosing said exhaust passage.

12. Valve mechanism of the character described in claim 11, in whichsaid last named means is sensitive to and is automatically actuated byvariations in the pressure controlling the movement of said valvemember.

13. Valve mechanism of the class described, comprising a valve bodyhaving a chamber having two outlets, a valve seat member at one of saidoutlets, a valve cooperating with said seat, a movable abutment subjectto variations in pressure and to an opposed yielding means forpositioning said valve relative to its seat to vary the distribution ofpressure between said outlets, and means operatable from outside thevalve body for adjusting the seat member relative to the valve, tothereby vary the pressure necessary to seat the valve.

14. Valve mechanism of the class described, comprising a valve bodyhaving a chamber adapted for connection to supply pressure to a devicefor controlling a factor which tends to vary and also having a separateoutlet, a valve member in said chamber controlled in accordance withvariations in said factor, a valve seat at the mouth of the outlet fromsaid chamber, means for supplying fluid pressure to said chamber, saidvalve member by its relation to its seat controlling the distribution offluid pressure from said chamber to either or both of said device andoutlet, and means for adjusting said valve seat with relation to thevalve member, for the purpose described.

15. Valve mechanism of the class described, comprising a valve bodyhaving a chamber adapted for connection to supply pressure to a devicefor controlling a factor which tends to vary and also having an inletand a separate outlet, a duplex valve member in said chamber controlledin accordance with variations in said factor, two opposed valve seatstherefor, one at the supply inlet to said chamber and the other at saidseparate outlet therefrom, means for supplying fluid pressure totheinlet to said chamber, said valve member by its relation to saidseats controlling the distribution of fluirL pressure from said chamberto either or both of said device and outlet, and means for adjusting atleast one of said valve seats with relation to the valve member, for thepurpose described.

JOSEPH BARRETT.

